


Crooked Moons & Silver Spoons

by pencilmate



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Angst, Baker!Marinette, F/M, Fantasy AU, Medieval AU, Prince!Adrien, Romance, awkward times and lame jokes, there are so many people
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-08 22:35:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5515772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pencilmate/pseuds/pencilmate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Medieval!AU+Fantasy!AU. When a dark mage threatens the safety of the kingdom, the alter egos Chat Noir and Ladybug are born. Marinette and Adrien are thrown into a world of magic, mystery, and deceit as they try to simultaneously keep up with their normal and superhero lives. An unlikely partnership is formed and love blooms in a tangle of both heart and soul.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crooked Moons & Silver Spoons

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the wonderful designs of Marinette/Ladybug and Adrien/Chat Noir by gamnamu (http://goo.gl/zRQVok). My updates will be sporadic, so I apologize in advance. I love these two adorable kids, and I had to write a self-indulgent story about love and tragedy and dorks and puns. They're the age of 16/17 here. Hope you enjoy! Thank you for reading. (:

Alya ran her way through the woods, easily passing by trees and going deeper into the dense mass. There wasn’t a clear cut path, but she had taken the route hundreds of times already that she probably knew it by heart. When she arrived, she found her best friend taking form and pulling the string of a bow taut. An arrow pierced through the air and hit the center of a tree a few yards away. Alya shook her head, sighing with a smile on her lips.

“Marinette! How long are you going to practice archery this time? Don’t your parents need help with the bakery right now? It’s nearly supper,” Alya chided. She placed her hands on her hips and lifted an eyebrow.

Marinette had startled from the outburst, but recovered quickly as she set down her bow next to the rows of arrows on the grass. She hurried over to Alya to give her a huge hug. “Welcome back, Alya! I was just trying to get a few shots in before dusk. My parents allowed me a break after helping out with the afternoon rush.”

Alya laughed, knowing Marinette to always be like this, sneaking off to practice archery even though she was merely a baker’s daughter. They both knew it would be frowned upon in their kingdom, as only the military and nobility were permitted to train for battle, so they found a field inside the forest on the outskirts of the city to practice.

“Thanks, Marinette,” Alya said as they sat down next to the bow and arrows. She then narrowed her eyes and raised her palm expectantly towards the other. “Show me your hands.” Marinette carefully placed her hands in the awaiting palm, hesitant because she knew the scolding that was coming. “Aha! More calluses! Marinette, young women should not have a soldier’s hands! What about your dream of being the castle’s head seamstress? How will you hold a needle with fingers as rough as yours?” Alya’s tone was light and joking, but Marinette knew she was more concerned than she let on.

“Enough gossip about me,” Marinette said, clutching her hands to her chest defensively, “how was your journey with your father? Were the villages interesting?”

Alya rose to her knees with excitement. “Oh, you wouldn’t _believe_ what I saw towards the East! A few day’s travel takes you to this magnificent town filled with all sorts of trinkets and gems! They sold silks I had never seen before! Marinette, it would be an absolute dream for you. They had such interesting tastes in clothing. We were fortunate enough to have something that caught their eye, even when they already had so many splendid materials.”

“That sounds amazing! It must be fun being a merchant’s daughter. You get to travel to different lands.” Marinette turned her head and watched leaves dance in the breeze that swept past them. She always wondered what it was like outside their city.

“I miss you, though, every time we embark on a new journey to sell the city’s goods. Plus, we are the central city, the biggest out of all the surrounding ones and home to the royal family, so there isn’t too much to be desired in leaving here,” Alya reasoned. She loved traveling and learning of the different customs and traditions, but she also got homesick after being away for too long.

Marinette wrapped her arms around Alya’s shoulders and gave a quick squeeze. “I miss you, too.” Alya beamed at her, pulling her in for another hug. “I even miss your nagging,” Marinette added playfully.

“Ah-ah,” Alya tutted, “I only nag you because you insist on practicing archery!”

“Says the girl who has been practicing that weird style of self-defense you picked up from the Southern towns!”

They stared at each other without yielding, trying to make the other give first, but after a while they both burst out laughing.

“I’m glad you’re my best friend, Alya,” Marinette exclaimed.

“And you mine, Marinette,” Alya answered happily.

The sky turned the color of warm honey, signaling the beginnings of twilight. Marinette got up to stow away her bow and arrows inside a tree they managed to hollow out when they first found the area. The hole was slim enough and in such an obscure place that it would be hard to spot for the unaware. They both walked back to the bakery with Alya describing her latest adventure in more detail.

The two stepped into the bakery in high spirits. Marinette greeted her mother who was at the front counter finishing up orders for the rush of customers. “Welcome home. Supper will be in an hour, Marinette,” her mother replied, smiling at Alya when she waived. Nodding, Marinette led Alya to her room and they both sat on her bed. Alya hadn’t been present for nearly a month now, so she studied the new changes to the room. She perked up when she caught sight of a flyer lying on the bedside table.

“The royal family is holding a commoner’s festival next week? What’s it for?” Alya asked, getting up to inspect it closer. It wasn’t like the royal family never showed kindness to their folk, but it was strange to have a celebration at the cusp of fall. Marinette shot up from her bed and held onto Alya’s shoulders, bouncing up and down.

“The king said the latest treaty signing with the neighboring country went well, so he was generous enough to plan a festival for the entire city! And guess what! The crown prince will be there!! And he’ll be participating in a special show of swordsmanship! Alya, do you know what this means? I’ll get to see Prince Adrien!” Alya turned around and could see Marinette practically buzzing with happiness at the mention of her dearest Adrien, the love of her life. Alya patted her back good-naturedly, knowing this was one of the few chances her friend got to see the prince in person.

“That’s great! I bet the festival will be a lot of fun.”

\---ooooo----

“You’re becoming accustomed to the routine quite fast, Prince Adrien.”

“Thanks, Baron D’Argencourt. It is only due to your tutelage that I have become this keen.”

The two continued to lunge and parry across the castle’s inner garden. They were doing a rehearsal for the festival’s performance, and the baron was once again surprised by how quickly the Prince grasped the material. It had only been a single turn of the sun and the prince was already getting faster and more precise. When the baron lunged in to attack, the prince nearly executed a perfect passata sotto. D’Argencourt felt pride swell in him at his student’s prowess. It was a shame they couldn’t spar for the festival’s show since the council was strictly averse to it. The show would no doubt be even more dazzling if they weren’t restrained to practiced steps. Then again, the young prince still could not win even on his best days. The baron may be a washed-up old boot, retired from the last big war over 50 years ago, but he had some skills ingrained in his brittle bones. It wasn’t like he had spent the last few decades getting fat on pastries and reminiscing on the days of his prime as a lieutenant general.

They finished up with Adrien disarming D’Argencourt in a flourish. “I’ll say, by the time the festival arrives, you’ll have perfected this routine,” the baron commented as he walked over to pick up his sabre. “That should be enough practice for now. You may go.”

“Thank you,” Adrien said and turned to rush to the castle atrium. If he hurried, he could catch Nino coming out of the church after evening prayer. He bypassed a group of soldiers in formation as they practiced swings and cuts. He saw Alix scowling off to the side as she watched with burning eyes. They made eye contact and he waved demurely at her. She did a soldier’s salute, and Adrien nearly laughed because of how much it suited her. He knew Alix was talented in swordsmanship, seeing as her father was a knight, but she was forbidden from practicing since she was a woman. He figured she sneaked in lessons anyway.

He made it to his personal changing room and quickly redressed into his regular attire. As he was going to the gates of the castle, he heard a familiar voice. “Prince Adrien! Fancy seeing you here at this time.”

Adrien slowed his pace until he stopped completely. Turning around, he found Chloe scurrying towards him in a dress that looked too heavy for her body. Cloth seemed to fall from her in currents, swallowing her petite frame completely. “Good evening, Chloe. I take it the journey from your city was without worry? How is your father?”

“Oh, he’s fine, great, fantastic. Enough about him. Aren’t you going to ask me how _I_ am? I sat in a carriage for two days to come see you, you know.” She flicked her hair over her shoulder and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Ah, yes, how have you been fairing?” Adrien smiled at her politely.

“You would not _believe_ what happened to me last week. First, someone stole the bracelet my father had given me. Stole! I had to send out my servants to search for it. I’m sure it was some thief from the outer rings of the city. They all think alike; give them the chance and they’ll swipe your whole fortune from your hands when your eyes are turned.” Chloe seethed in her spot, barely having skimmed the surface of her rant. Adrien could read the signs of a long story ahead, so he hastily spoke during her brief pause.

“That sounds distressing. Listen, Chloe, I have somewhere to be, so I’ll see you later.” Adrien slipped away before she could react. He arrived at the front of the church just as Nino was helping his father assist someone.

Nino caught sight of him and waved widely with his whole arm. “You get out of practice early?” he asked across the field. He said bye to his father before running up to meet Adrien halfway.

They clasped hands in greeting as Adrien answered, “Yeah, I guess because I did so well today.”

“When do you not, man?” Nino jabbed at his friend’s ribs, a teasing grin on his lips. “How’s about you give me some of that talent?”

“I don’t think priests are supposed to be adept at fighting, and I’m pretty sure you’d still be terrible at it.”

“Oh, low blow. I only lost to that toddler because he’s a prodigy, okay? A prodigy!”

Adrien laughed. “Right, whatever you say.”

Nino looked offended, hearing the sarcasm in his voice. He let it drop, though, when they rounded the corner to the main street. “Hey, want to help me buy some silk? The church is stringing rosaries to give out on the day of the festival.”

“Yeah, I’d love to. I’ll have to be back at the castle in an hour, though. My father probably thinks I’m still at practice,” Adrien answered as he peered at the setting sun.

“Plenty of time. Come on, I know this place that sells nice quality threads.” As they passed by open markets and stands, citizens greeted Adrien ardently and earnestly. Adrien affably greeted them back, waving and smiling. Nino shook his head in defeat, an exasperated smile on his face, when he had to stop a fifth time and wait for Adrien while he turned down yet another object someone tried to give him. Old women running stands would try to get him to take free bundles of their flowers or crepes and shopkeepers would come outside to try and cajole him inside their store.

Adrien finally got away from the small crowd surrounding him and caught up to Nino, sporting a sheepish grin. “Sorry, Nino, this must be troublesome for you.”

“Don’t sweat it. I’ve been your friend for how many years now? I’m used to it.” Nino’s eyes lit up as he found the tiny shop wedged in between two cafés, immediately entering with the other a step behind. Adrien eyed the different cloths on display as Nino went to talk to the owner. His eyes drifted up to the shop’s opening and settled on a bakery across the street. It was nearly supper time and yet there was a crowd bustling inside. Nino placed his hand on Adrien’s shoulder and followed his line of sight.

“Oh, that’s the famous bakery! It’s rumored to have the best stuff in the whole kingdom,” Nino said. He let out a surprised whistle when he noticed the large line. “Busy as always. What, you want to get something?”

Adrien shook his head. “No, I was just looking. Ready?” Another crowd was forming outside the shop they were in, and Adrien would rather not trouble the owner with unnecessary chaos. At Nino’s affirmation, they quickly made their way out and back towards the castle.

\-----ooooo-----

Marinette woke to her mother’s humming. It drifted in and out, most likely from her ambling from room to room. Marinette glanced at her window and saw the sky was a light shade of blue. Leave it to her mother to be awake even before the sun. She then jolted upwards when she remembered it was the day of the festival. Her mother and father were probably preparing for the huge rush expected to come.

The morning went by in a rush, and Marinette’s parents could see how restless their daughter had become. When Alya came by to remind them the performance would be happening soon, they let their daughter leave.

Dozens of shops had been set up in front of the castle gates, as well as a stage for the prince’s performance. Marinette couldn’t stop smiling when she spotted the prince off to the side of the stage getting ready.

“Oh, Alya, look at him!”

“Yes, he’s a hot salami, I know,” Alya answered to appease her.

Marinette continued to gush over him while Alya made sure she didn’t make a fool of herself. As they stood by the stage, waiting for the performance to start, Alya could make out some of their peers in the crowd. She waved at Juleka and Rose when they caught sight of her. Waving back, they made their way toward them.

“Hey you two, how are you?” Alya asked.

“Great! I helped my dad prepare some of the scones for the royal family this morning. He’s really busy around this time since a lot of nobility had come from neighboring cities for the festival,” Rose replied with sparkles in her eyes.

“Being the castle’s head chef sounds like a never-ending job. What about you, Juleka?”

“Fine, thanks for asking.”

The sound of horns caught their attention as an announcer came on the stage. He thanked everyone for coming and introduced the prince and his fighting partner. Without further ado, the match started with loud cheers and clapping.

Marinette nearly fainted from all the daring moves the prince was doing that made the crowd ooh and ah. Generous, intelligent, charming, and talented, what more could you ask for in a guy? She kept clutching onto Alya’s arm, holding her breath, whenever he seemed to be on the defensive. He was currently being pushed back to the edge of the stage, but quickly regained the upper hand.

The match was nearing a close when a horde of creatures descended from the rooftops. The noises they made, like wind blowing through a cave as thunder rumbled in the distance, had shivers running up Marinette’s spine. Their abnormally elongated arms dug into the dirt as smoke billowed from their mouths. They began attacking anybody within distance, and soon, the festival turned into a complete nightmare.

The guards on duty unsheathed their swords and engaged in fighting. The ringing of metal clashing rose over the screams of terror as soldiers tried to keep the creatures at bay.

Everyone scrambled in panic, trying to get away from the dark creatures. Fear clutched at Marinette’s throat, but her legs automatically moved and started to run. She grabbed Alya’s hand and dragged her away as fast as she could. They hid in a nearby building, with Juleka and Rose not too far behind. Their friends had scattered into different places as screams were heard outside. Marinette’s heart raced with adrenaline and she could feel her heartbeat thrumming in her ears.

Juleka peeked over the counter they were hiding under and breathed, “Ghouls.”

The other three turned towards her in surprise. “You know what these creatures are?” Alya asked.

“Yes, my mother spoke of them to me. They’re born from witchcraft and black magic. She foretold a calamity befalling the city today, but to think they’d be monstrous creatures only heard of in the distant past,” Juleka explained, her eyes not once leaving the gruesome forms of the ghouls. More chaos unfolded as the screams reached a peak. Marinette could only clutch her hands together as she prayed everyone escaped safely.

“So the rumors are true,” Alya whispered to herself. Marinette looked at her, urging her to elaborate. Alya caught her stare and breathed in deep. “The Eastern towns were speaking of a legend only imagined in books coming to life. They said there is a mage wreaking havoc across our country. He wields magic, something dangerous and unheard of. Apparently, this ‘magic’ can do incredible things and achieve the impossible. If those monsters out there are made from magic, then I bet it was the dark mage who sent them.”

Suddenly, a dying roar rang out. The four shot their heads up and saw a masked man clad in black holding a glowing sword. He swiftly leapt from each creature and slashed through their forms, disintegrating them. Ghouls not busy with soldiers had begun to gang up on him, but he easily beat them with each swing of his sword. His cape fluttered gracefully behind him as he tore through the ghouls, killing them before they could harm more people. Marinette trained her eyes on the sword, observing it closely.

“He’s using magic. His sword is enchanted,” Juleka concluded as she continued to watch the battle.

“As expected of a Sybil’s daughter! You know a lot about magic,” Rose complimented.

“It’s a secret kept between us fortune-tellers. Magic is something very real and living. It hasn’t been used in hundreds of years, though, so it has faded out of history,” Juleka explained. “However, even when it was well spoken of, only a handful of individuals had the ability to use it and master it.”

“ _Magic, huh,_ ” Marinette thought as her eyes drifted back to the masked man. She could hear a few cheers in the shop across from them. Kids and some adults were encouraging the masked man with yells and fist pumps. A few other people joined in, peeking out from alleyways and behind shops. When the man finished up with the last ghoul, he made a dramatic bow to his audience. Marinette, Alya, Juleka, and Rose came out of the building as the man spun around, soaking up the applause from the small crowd gathered around him.

“Thank you, thank you! I am Chat Noir, at your service,” he announced gallantly. After a final bow, he straightened up and grinned. “Until next time.” He made a two finger salute before leaping off and disappearing.

\----oooo-----

It had been two days since the incident at the festival. Many villagers were still wary, and the king had yet to make a formal announcement on the matter. Marinette rolled around in her bed, unable to sleep. She kept thinking of the glowing sword and the possibility of magic being real. She laid her side and pulled the sheets up to her chin with a huff.

“ _Of course magic is real. You just saw it, didn’t you?_ ” she berated herself. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to clear her mind to sleep, but her thoughts kept racing inside her head. Why was the dark mage terrorizing the kingdom? Who was that person calling himself Chat Noir? Marinette sat up, frustrated. Why was she concerned over this? Why did her chest feel tight with anxiety? Her body felt restless, like she needed to be doing something, but what? She was just a baker’s daughter.

Marinette rose from her bed and pulled on a coat. She figured a walk would help ease her mind. The streets were quiet and peaceful. The chance of running into thieves or dangerous individuals had lessened over the decades with the passing of the war. The people here were content with the times, so there were barely any crimes committed. Crops were bountiful and the market was doing extraordinarily well. At least, this was true for the central city. Marinette wondered if there was more discord in other cities the kingdom reigned over.

A yell in the distance caught Marinette’s attention. She jerked her head towards the direction of it. It sounded not too far away from her, so she could still make it in time to help. However, she froze before she took a step. What could she do? It wasn’t like she had her bow and arrows with her, and she was terribly inexperienced with the self-defense Alya tried showing her. She was at a beginner’s level at best. She would probably only succeed in creating more trouble if she ran in unprepared. The castle was too far to alert any guards, and the forest she had stowed away her bow and arrows were on the outskirts of the city. She would be at a huge disadvantage going in as she was now. But…

Another yell, more desperate, broke through the air. Marinette slapped her hands against her cheeks. “ _It doesn’t matter if I can’t do anything. I have to help somehow._ ” She sprinted towards the sound and prayed a plan would come to her in the meantime. As she approached the area, she could hear growling and ferocious snarls. She rounded a corner and spotted a young boy cowering in fear with his back pressed against the wall of a shop. Two wolves were closing in on him slowly. Marinette squinted at them in the moonlight. She could make out a trail of darkness bleeding out from the wolves and coiling up into the air like smoke. They had bright red eyes and large, swirling tails that swayed like ink dancing in water. These were no ordinary wolves, they were creatures of dark magic.

Marinette noticed one of them crouched down lower, as if ready to leap at the boy, and she shouted without thinking. “Hey!” The two wolves straightened up and snapped their eyes onto her. Her lips trembled at the sheer force of their gaze on her, hungry and crazed, but she had to push on in order to allow the little boy to escape. She started slowly stepping backwards to get them to follow her. “That’s right. Look at me,” she said loudly, hoping that it would be enough to lure them to her. She never broke eye contact as they crept toward her menacingly. “You run away when you get the chance, okay? I’ll make sure they don’t go after you,” Marinette addressed the little boy. She could make out a tiny nod from the corner of her eye.

When she deemed it a far enough distance, Marinette shouted, “Now!” The little boy dashed off in the opposite direction, nearly tripping over his own feet. The wolves turned their heads at the noise, but Marinette quickly picked up a rock and threw it at them to regain their attention. “Keep your eyes on me, you monsters!” One of the wolves snarled at her and bared its teeth. They both looked ready to attack, so when Marinette could no longer see the boy in the distance, she made her own escape. She could hear them at her heels, chomping at her coat fluttering behind her. She ran towards the forest where her weapon was, forming a makeshift plan in her rush. She could try losing them in the flutter of trees, maybe even climb one to rest in for a while if she could do it fast enough, and maybe even be able to retrieve her bow and arrow to use.

Marinette’s legs burned from having to run so fast, but she was almost at the entrance of the forest. Just a few more steps and she’d be there. She cut through two buildings and maneuvered through the boxes stacked up in the alleyway, but was yanked back harshly when one of the wolves caught the end of her coat. She stumbled backwards into boxes and materials, knocking them down with her, as the end of her coat ripped off. She could hear growling and approaching steps, could feel her head pounding from where it collided with the ground, and her heart in her ears. She was pretty sure her elbow banged against something hard and something had scraped along her ribs, ripping her shirt and skin. Her back stung and her neck throbbed in pain from being pulled so suddenly.

She shut her eyes as fear bubbled up her throat, but all she heard was a swish of a sword and the sizzle of smoke. When she felt the box crushing her arm being lifted, she peeked her eyes open to find glowing green.

“Are you alright?” The person spoke as he helped move everything off her and propped her up into a sitting position.

“U-um, yeah, I think so,” Marinette replied, wincing when the pain only intensified from her movements. She looked up at the guy who saved her and realized it was the masked man from the festival. “Chat Noir?”

His green eyes flashed at her as he grinned. “The one and only.”

“W-wh – “

“I was taking a stroll when I bumped into a crying little boy. He told me a girl had helped him and now she was being chased by wolves. As the gracious hero I am, I had to help.”

Marinette nearly rolled her eyes. “Well thank you for coming to my rescue, oh great hero, _after_ the fact that I toppled over crates and nearly got eaten.”

“In my defense, it was difficult to locate you. Were you thinking of going into the woods? It’s dangerous out there if you don’t know the way.”

“I…” It was probably best not to let him know that she was planning on getting her bow and arrows or that she had run through those woods plenty of times to be able to weave through them in the dark. “I was just running away and not really paying attention to where I was going.”

“Why didn’t you call for help?”

“I didn’t want to get any other civilians involved. I figured I could do something about the wolves.”

Chat Noir looked skeptical at her words, and Marinette couldn’t blame him since he didn’t know about her practicing archery in secret. He shook his head and let the subject drop. He scooped her up in his arms and began carrying her out of the alley.

“What are you – !“

“Anything broken or sprained? That was a pretty nasty fall you had,” he said, ignoring her shock. They came out from the alley and were engulfed in moonlight.

“No, I can walk on my own, thank you. Please let me down.”

“I wouldn’t be much of a gentleman if I let a wounded maiden walk home alone, now would I?”

“I’m fine. Plus, shouldn’t you check to see if there aren’t any more – “ A howl cut her off abruptly and she tensed reflexively. The arms around her tightened their hold as a few more howls joined in with the first.

Chat Noir jumped up to a nearby shop’s second floor balcony. He carefully laid her down and muttered, “Stay here and keep quiet.” He leaped onto the next building’s roof and made his way towards the other wolves with his hand already clutching the hilt of his sword.

Marinette sat in silence for a while, feeling the effects of adrenaline finally dying down. She figured she should return home to the safety of her room, but as more howls filled the air, she couldn’t help but worry. It sounded like a whole pack had gathered, and she wasn’t sure how adept Chat Noir was at fighting multiple targets at once. The time at the festival was simpler because most of the ghouls had their attention on other people, so all he had to do was swoop in and stab them in the back. But now, he would have the creatures’ undivided attention. She bit her lip, debating on whether to help or stay put. Flashes of green from her peripheral alerted her that the fight had already begun.

“Bow and arrow first, decision second,” she reasoned. If it turned out he didn’t need her help, she could just sneak away back into her house and hide her weapons in her closet until morning.

Moonlight filtered through the trees and illuminated her path. In no time at all, she was pulling out her bow and arrows from their hiding spot. A glow of red had her spinning around and pulling an arrow into position. Her arms slackened when she saw that it was coming from something on the ground a few feet from her. It pulsed like a beating heart when she crept towards it. She crouched down and examined it warily.

“Earrings?” Marinette placed the arrow in her hand down in order to reach out and touch the glowing jewelry. A wave of nausea assaulted her as soon as she made contact. She stumbled a bit, gasping for air and blinking rapidly to rid the sensation. A sudden darkness filled her vision before she lost consciousness altogether.

\-----ooooo-----

Marinette startled awake and sat up. Miraculously, she was in her room, but the last thing she remembered was being in the forest. She checked herself for injuries and was surprised to find no scratches, bruises, or lingering pain. Her mother’s soft voice began calling her from the kitchen before she could wonder about anything else. Quickly dressing and tying on an apron, Marinette pushed her confusion into the back of her mind.

There were more people to attend to than usual, probably a group of travelers passing through from other countries, so Marinette couldn’t have the luxury of slipping away and going back to the forest. By the time she even had room to breathe, it was dark out.

They were eating supper when Sabine brought it up. “Oh, honey, I meant to ask you this in the morning, but the day slipped away from me before I knew it. Are those earrings from Alya? She just returned from the Eastern towns, right?”

Marinette’s hand flew to her ear with a dumb-founded expression. “U-uh,” she stuttered when she felt the unmistakable shape of studs in her lobes. “Yeah, she – er, they were cheap over there, so…”

“They look wonderful on you, Marinette,” her father complimented warmly.

“Yes, I’ve never seen black stones before. They must be minerals only from the East.”

“Y-yeah, Alya said something about that. Um, I’m going to turn in early, I’m really tired.” Marinette quickly rinsed her dishes and fled to her room. With the door closed, Marinette reached up to touch the earrings again. She tried tugging them off, but no amount of force would make them detach from her ears. Sighing, she sat on her bed and thought about what she remembered from last night.

After Chat Noir had left, she went into the forest and found glowing earrings. Were they the same ones on her now? When had she put them on?

“Come to think of it, how did I get home?” She was running in circles in her mind, trying to make sense of everything when her room was enveloped in a bright light. Blinking away the spots from her eyes, Marinette’s vision focused on a little creature floating near her face.

Squeaking, she leaned away from it and managed to tumble from her bed onto the ground. The little red thing giggled at her before flying closer. “Hi, I’m Tikki!”

The only word racing through Marinette’s mind was magic, magic, _magic_ –

“Hi,” she replied weakly while pulling herself up into a sitting position, “I’m Marinette.”

“Well, Marinette, it’s nice to finally meet you. I’m your kwami.”

“K-kwa..?”

“I give you the ability to wield magic! When I fuse into your earrings, you gain incredible powers capable of battling against the dark mage.”

“Um, okay…”

Tikki giggled again, making a loop around Marinette’s head. “You’ll be able to enchant things you touch, like weapons or even your boots to jump from place to place!”

 _Enchant…_ “So I can only use magic when wearing the earrings? And when you fuse with them? Juleka – I mean, my friend made it sound like you were born with magic.”

“Humans have always assumed those who use magic are born with it, but it’s actually due to the possession of a kwami such as myself and a magical item. Without these two, magic would be unattainable for a human being. Only those who are chosen to have them have known this secret.” Tikki landed on the knee of Marinette’s propped up leg. “The forces of the dark have risen again after hundreds of years, so I, along with the other kwami, have been in search for new magic bearers.”

Marinette instantly thought of Chat Noir and his glowing green sword. She thought of monsters, sharp claws, and burning red eyes. Sighing, she slumped against the frame of her bed. “I need sleep.” She glanced at her kwami staring innocently at her. “You can rest on my pillow tonight, Tikki. I’ll have to make you a proper bed tomorrow.” The smile Tikki gave her practically glowed with happiness.

“You’re taking this awfully well,” Tikki remarked as she made a space for herself on Marinette’s pillow.

“Yeah, well, I’ve encountered some strange stuff these past few days.” She got up to open her closet and change into her night clothes. “And strange people,” she tacked on at the end. Suddenly, the image of bright, mischievous green eyes invaded her mind. She shook her head to dispel the memory. Opening up her closet, she found her bow against the wall and a stack of arrows standing next to it.

“I brought those from the forest last night. I thought you’d need them,” Tikki spoke from behind her.

“I guess, but what if my parents see them? I’ll be in so much trouble.”

“But what if another attack occurs? The only way to get rid of those dark monsters is by attacking them with an enchanted weapon. Ordinary swords and arrows will only slow them down.”

Marinette was reminded of the festival with the knights and their steel swords. Not a single ghoul was taken down until Chat Noir had appeared.

“Okay, they can stay, but I’ll need to find a good hiding spot for them – “

A loud crash made Marinette jump in place and nearly bite her tongue. Marinette stared at Tikki for a moment before dashing from her room and to the front of the bakery. She peered through the shop’s opening and saw dozens of monsters rampaging the main street. They had bodies like men, but heads like dogs, and were as dark as ink. Without a second thought, Marinette ran back to her room and grabbed her bow and arrows.

“Tikki, there’s trouble outside. Looks like we’ll be trying out that fusion sooner than I thought.” Marinette shoved on her boots and was about to climb out from the square opening in her wall when Tikki flew into her face to stop her.

“Wait! You must have a disguise! The dark mage can see with the eyes of his creatures, especially with ones like the cynocephali out there, so he’ll definitely find out who you are if you go out like this,” Tikki warned.

Marinette nodded in understanding. She couldn’t have the dark mage finding out her identity, and she was sure she’d be severely questioned inside a prisoner cell if the public knew. Magic was still an unknown entity to humans, so she’d probably be more feared than admired. She set her weapons down and looked around her room. Finding a strip of cloth, she cut out two holes for eyes and quickly secured it around her face.

“Here goes nothing,” Marinette said under her breath, stuffing a sack with arrows and securing her bow across her chest. She lightly touched the makeshift mask she put on and hoped it wouldn’t fall off during the battle. She threw a hooded cloak she had stitched together last week over her shoulders in hopes of further hiding her features.

“Okay, Tikki, this’ll have to do. Let’s transform!” After a flash of bright light, Tikki was gone, and Marinette could see a faint glow of red coming from her ears. She double checked that her earrings were on and crawled her way out. The commotion could be heard from here, and by the sounds of it, Chat Noir was in trouble. She quickened her pace as she jumped from rooftop to rooftop.

The cynocephali had backed Chat Noir up into a wall, preventing him from escaping. His limbs were aching from exertion and his breathing was ragged. If he didn’t finish this up quickly, he’d have no more stamina to continue. He gripped the handle of his sword tightly with both hands and widened his stance. He was about ready to pounce on the creatures to his left and make a run for it when a glowing arrow whizzed past him and pierced one in the chest. The monster let out a howl of pain before disintegrating to nothing. Multiple arrows followed suit, and before he knew it, he was no longer surrounded. The other cynocephali had put distance between them and their new attacker.

“Need help?” a voice asked from above Chat Noir. He looked up to see a masked woman standing on the edge of the wall he was leaning on. The hood of her hip-length cloak was propped up, so he couldn’t make out anything but shining blue eyes. He grinned when he saw the glowing arrow she had ready against her bow.

“If you would be so kind, my lady.”


End file.
